The Tempest

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The Tempest
William Shakespeare
1610-1611

The Summary
For Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, life has not always been kind; however, when his brother (Antonio) and the King of Naples (Alonso), the very men who chased him from his dukedom, arrive on the shores his island, Prospero has been given a great opportunity to seek his revenge.

Filled with grand adventure, a generous helping of magic, and a bit of romance, The Tempest tells the story of one man's rise and fall from power as he struggles to contend with his past, his own feelings of bitterness, and his hope for the future.

The Good
Simultaneously amusing and complex, The Tempest is one of those Shakespearean plays that's sure to hold your attention for the sheer ridiculousness and magic and botched political intrigue it holds.  Between the fairy mischief on Ariel's part and, of course, jokes about sexuality courtesy of Trinculo and Stephano, Shakespeare's play presents a rousing good time.

More to the point, Shakespeare's characters are something to behold.  Not only are the characters fully fleshed out - and some being the epitome of a stereotype - they are enjoyable to watch and understand as they grow and mature, or, in some cases, meet whatever end they happen to find.

In short, it's a brief but fun play that's sure to entertain.

The Bad
As always, Shakespeare's plays are a little difficult to read given the barrier between languages - or, more accurately, time periods.  Filled with jokes and references to his generation, and riddled with older, archaic versions of English words, Shakespeare can be a bit challenging.

That's no excuse for not reading his work, of course; however, it's sometimes better to see his work in person - that is, on the stage - than just reading it.  Simply put, actors can make Shakespeare's work come of alive, even when the imagination can't.

The Ugly
Well, it can't all be fun and games.

Between brothers bent on fratricide and fairy mischief and wizards intent on revenge, there will inevitably be a little bit of violence and a suitable amount of language.  It's to be expected in the cold, calculating, politically charged society of Shakespeare's play.